Some Things Never Change
by ScarletSummer
Summary: A story of romance, heartbreak, and misconceptions. This is my first Hr/GW story, so please be gentle!
1. Chapter 1

Written By: Summer Carlisle

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or make any money from writing these.

Rating: T

Genre: Romance

Warnings: A bit femslashy, but nothing worth upping the rating for.

Notes: This is my first non-heterosexual pairing, so I'm still working on how I write those scenes. If you don't like the girl/girl, don't read it. There aren't many specifics, it isn't going to be perfectly canon, so keep that in mind.

* * *

Chapter One

* * *

"No, Ginny! I am _not _using an insensitive tone!" Harry yelled, taking a step toward her in the corner of the empty common room.

"_Yes_, you _are_, you know you are! How can you not see how much of a complete prick you're being right now?" Ginny yelled back, pushing him away. "You _told _me you weren't going to see her anymore."

"I haven't been seeing her! I ran into her in the Three Broomsticks. That's hardly cheating on you."

"Oh yes, I'm _so _sure it was _such _a coincidence that you and Cho just _happened _to both venture _alone _into the pub at the exact same time." _How could he act like he hadn't done anything wrong?_

"I _haven't _done anything wrong!" he shouted back.

"I told you to stop using legillimency on me," she hissed, her eyes dangerous. "Dumbledore should never have taught you that to begin with," she muttered.

"Well how else am I supposed to understand anything you women-"

"Us women?" She was screeching. "_Us women_?"

"I didn't mean it like-"

"Exactly which of _us women _are you referring to, Harry? Me and Chang, perhaps? Or are there more you'd like to tell me about?" She crossed her arms, glaring unwaveringly.

"No! There are no women! It is just you, Ginny," he tried to step toward her again.

"I don't believe you." She could see his temper flare in his bright green eyes, they were somehow darkened by his anger.

"Fine. You don't have to anymore. I'm sick of you accusing me of ridiculous outrages every other day. I'm through. Goodnight, Ginny." He gave her one last indecipherable look and stormed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

Ginny collapsed onto the sofa, her small frame shaking as the tears came. She could go after him, she _should _go after him.

But she wouldn't.

Ginny Weasley was sick of chasing after boys.

A moment later, the door opened and Romilda Vane stumbled in, dragging an even more stumbling Sophie Richards by the hand...

* * *

The sky had grown icy and the trees bare in the following winter months. Christmas was in the air as students passed around the sign-up sheet for anyone staying at Hogwarts over the holiday.

Hermione passed the parchment across the table in the great hall to Ginny, who, unwillingly, signed her name. She sighed as she handed the paper to Ron, who promptly got pudding-coated fingerprints all over it. Ginny did not miss the sideways glance her sigh earned her from Harry. Besides for Quidditch, they hadn't spoken a word to one another in over two months.

"Something wrong, Gin?" Hermione asked, looking up from a copy of _Charming Charms and How to Break Them_.

"I was just really looking forward to mum's cooking this year, but there's no use going home with her and dad visiting Charlie in Romania again." She stirred her own pudding glumly.

"I'm sure we'll have loads of fun here over the holiday. I'm personally looking forward to some alone time, I just got an order of seven new books from Flourish and Blotts this morning actually. You could borrow them, if you'd like," Hermione offered with a smile at the redhead.

Ron, who looked highly perturbed indeed at the thought of spending the entire holiday reading, choked on his pudding. Harry pounded him roughly on the back, avoiding eye contact with Ginny on Ron's other side.

"Malfoy's staying over Christmas too!" Ron coughed out. "And I thought this would be a good holiday!" He passed the sign-up sheet to Harry, handling it lightly as if it were contaminated. Ginny could see Malfoy's name, in the largest and most elegant script of them all, at the top of the page. Harry frowned at the pudding-stained parchment, but otherwise said nothing. He didn't seem to talk much at all anymore, really. _But maybe that's just when he's around me._

She glanced several feet down the table, catching Sophie Richards' eye. Sophie flipped back her long, blonde hair and smirked at her. Ginny smiled back.

"Is Sophie staying for Christmas?" _Why is Hermione asking about Sophie? Does she think I want Sophie to stay for Christmas? Of course I do, but I can't say that…. _"You two seem to have become pretty good friends lately."

"No, her parents want her home." Hermione's interest seemed innocent enough. _Stop panicking._

"Ah, that's too bad. She would have kept you entertained."

"Yeah. We have a lot of fun."

"Well that's excellent for you, Gin," Hermione replied, sounding distracted now. Ginny was opening her mouth to reply, but the brunette had returned to the book in front of her.

* * *

"Gin," she panted, trying halfheartedly to step away. "I'm gonna miss the train."

Ginny pressed her lips to Sophie's again before replying. "I know, I know. I just don't want you to leave." Sophie took her hand as they walked to the door of the deserted classroom. She'd opened the door not even a quarter of the way when she felt the redhead's lips on her throat. Pulling away gently, Sophie kissed Ginny's cheek and went to join the crowd trooping out the front doors.

Ginny leaned against the doorframe, watching Sophie's long, straight blonde hair as she left. _The holidays are going to be so long and dull without her. _Her mind wandered back to what had been happening ten minutes prior, knowing she would have a hard time waiting for it to happen again. Hermione appeared suddenly in the doorway, startling Ginny enough to make her jump and clutch her chest in shock.

"We should talk," was all Hermione said before shoving Ginny back into the classroom and shutting the door.

"What would you care to talk about?" Ginny asked, leaning on a desk, trying to sound politely indifferent.

"Is this why you broke up with Harry?" Hermione demanded.

"What? Harry broke up with me." Ginny was not sure where this was going, but it couldn't be good. _Did Harry say something to her?_

"Well, you started the fight that made him end it. Is this why?" Hermione's voice was becoming more forceful.

"Is _what _why, 'Mione? You're making no sense," Ginny asked, wishing more than anything that she could just escape.

"_Sophie_," Hermione hissed, glancing back at the closed door.

"Why would I fight with Harry because of my best friend?"

"_Best friends _do not kiss like that, Ginny."

_Uh oh._

Ginny took a deep breath, she could feel her traitorous Weasley skin giving her away completely.

"I'm sorry for not saying anything, okay? But I couldn't bear people finding out; you know how this school is! And Harry! Of course this isn't why things ended, but I would just die if he found out, I mean, what would he think? He'd definitely tell Ron, and Ron would tell mum..." She shuddered at the thought.

"I won't tell Harry, but I want you to tell me what's going on. I thought we were better friends than this, I thought you trusted me." Hermione's voice wavered. Ginny stood and hugged her tightly. _At least she doesn't hate me._

"I do trust you, no one knows about this, not really. I just couldn't risk Harry finding out, it would tear him apart," she murmured into Hermione's hair.

The older girl pulled back, looking Ginny in the eyes.

"Who does know? Just Sophie?" she inquired.

"No, just one other girl, but she and I don't even talk anymore. I really appreciate you not saying anything though, I honestly couldn't go through another argument with Harry," Ginny replied. Hermione smiled. They stood in silence for several minutes, Ginny not quite being able to meet Hermione's eyes. _There's no way she knows about Romilda._

"So, um, how long have you, er, liked girls for?" Hermione asked tentatively. Ginny was sure that Hermione was recounting every time she had undressed in front of Ginny at the burrow or Grimmauld Place, every time they'd slept in the same room. Ginny didn't want it to be like that.

"Not until after Harry and I broke up actually," Ginny answered carefully, not able to read Hermione's expression. "It just sort of happened, I guess."

"Oh. Do you still, erm, like boys then?" Hermione giggled nervously. _Hermione never giggles._

"Yes, I reckon I do. I'm just very put out with the entire male species right now, I think." She didn't need to say that it was because of Harry that she'd given up on men. The understanding in Hermione's face was almost more than Ginny could take, she didn't want pity.

After a moment, Hermione glanced at Ginny awkwardly again. Ginny wondered whether it was Hermione's embarrassment or her desire to know everything that would win out first.

"Are you and Sophie dating, then?" Hermione inquired, stumbling over the words. _And the desire to know everything wins, as usual._

"No, not really. It isn't quite that deep of a relationship with Sophie and me," she said, thinking that honesty was the best idea here. She owed it to Hermione after all, for promising to keep Ginny's biggest secret.

"Ah. Well, I am glad she seems to be making you happy at least. I was really worried about you for a while there, you know, after the break up." Hermione wouldn't quite meet her eyes. Ginny smiled slightly.

"Sophie definitely makes me happy."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

* * *

Several days later, Ginny woke up early to bright sunlight glaring off the fresh snow and through her window. Unable to fall back asleep, she decided to go ahead on to breakfast. Unsurprisingly, there was only one table in the great hall now, just big enough for the remaining students. Of the few people seated at the table, the only other student that was up this early was Draco Malfoy.

Carefully avoiding sitting anywhere near Malfoy, Ginny took a seat next to Professor Vector, muttering a hello before helping herself to coffee and a pastry. More people slowly arrived as she took her time eating, and soon Hermione was next to her. Hermione gave her a timid smile but, like most of the other occupants of the table, did not speak. _It's too early for small talk anyway._

When the table was nearly full, short of Harry and Ron, three owls came in with the morning post. Two brought newspapers- one to Hermione and the other to Malfoy- and the third, a screech owl, landed with a thump on Ginny's plate. She did not recognize the owl, but she did recognize the bubbly letters that made up her name on the envelope. The owl flew off, and Ginny shoved the letter into her robes, Hermione already too engrossed in the morning's headlines to notice.

Once she finished eating, Ginny hurried back to her empty dormitory to open her letter. She didn't know what to expect, but Sophie had promised to write over the holiday. The seal was a red wax heart, and the parchment was a light pink.

_Ginny,_

_I do hope being stuck at school for the holidays hasn't been too dreadful for you, especially since Harry's there. I know how it hurts you to be near him. Hogwarts is beautiful this time of year though, don't you think?_

_I really hate to tell you this way, but it's best if you know before I get back. Romilda and I are getting back together. I know, totally crazy after how much we argued. But she really seems sorry this time. I know you and I weren't dating, so it's not like we're breaking up, but I'm afraid we will have to be just friends. I will miss all those hours in the dark with you though, Gin._

_I'm sorry, and I really hope you have a fantastic holiday._

_See you soon,_

_Sophie_

Ginny clenched the letter in her fist, thoroughly crumpling it before throwing it across the room. _How could they be getting back together? _Romilda had dumped Sophie for flirting with Ginny, and Sophie just went right back to Romilda despite it all. _Maybe she just wants an actual relationship. _Ginny didn't think she could have handled being committed again, so soon after her break up with Harry, so she had chosen to keep things light and casual. Sophie had always seemed to want more, no matter how much Ginny pushed her own boundaries to give her what she wanted. Ginny never told Sophie how it bothered her, the way she was never happy with what Ginny offered.

Turns out, that didn't keep this from hurting.

* * *

The sun was setting by the time Ginny emerged from her dormitory. She'd taken a cold shower to refresh her reddened face and put on her most comfortable robes. _We weren't even dating. No need to get so upset over the loss of a mere sex partner. _She took a deep breath before descending the stairs and making her way down to dinner.

Everyone was already at the table, leaving Ginny to sit between a mousy first year girl and Harry. She took her seat without a word, noticing that Harry visibly stiffened upon her approach. Hermione gave her a sympathetic smile from across the table. _Why do I always get stuck next to him?_

"Why 'oo so ate oo dinna?" Ron inquired, his mouth full of mince pie.

"I decided I would quite like to wash, something you should try more often," she answered sharply. Ron was just about to offer what Ginny was sure would be an undeniably witty retort when Lavender Brown showed up and redirected his attention. Ginny saw Hermione glare at Lavender before turning her eyes back to her.

"Something wrong Ginny? You look a bit upset," Hermione noted. Ginny tried to ignore Harry's look at her as Hermione spoke.

"Oh, no, not at all. I actually just received a lovely letter from Sophie earlier," Ginny answered, her voice falsely cheery. She looked into Hermione's eyes, and she knew that the other girl understood the insincerity of her comment. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again when Harry suddenly jumped up from the table and left the great hall. The two girls watched him go and Hermione sighed.

"He'll get over it eventually." She gave Ginny a meaningful look. "And so will you." Ginny nodded vaguely before turning back to listlessly prodding her already over-mashed mashed potatoes. Ron, now apparently having Lavender's face for dinner instead of the chicken wings on his plate, noticed none of this.

When Ginny got up to leave the table, Hermione followed her, looking disgusted at the baby-cooing voice Lavender was using with Ron. The two walked in silence together through the castle until they were in a deserted hidden corridor halfway back to Gryffindor tower. Ginny stopped walking and slumped against the wall.

"She dumped me to go back to Romilda," she stated flatly, unconvinced that her heart was even still functioning.

"Romilda? As in Romilda Vane? Is she the other girl you mentioned that knows about you and Sophie?" Hermione asked, leaning on the wall as well. _She remembers too much._

"Yeah. They had been dating, but broke up when Sophie started liking me. I guess they ended up spending the holiday together or something," she replied bitterly. Hermione pushed off the wall, pulled the redhead up by the hand and hugged her. Once they broke apart, Ginny hastened to maintain her composure. It was silent again.

"What's it like?" Hermione asked after a moment.

"What?"

"Dating women. Is it better than dating boys?" Hermione's tone was casual, but Ginny could tell how immensely curious she was. Hermione always wanted to know everything about everything. _It's natural for someone like her to be curious about it, I guess._

"It isn't too different really. We fight the same amount, just about different things. We can't have the same physical stuff, obviously, but we make do," Ginny smirked at Hermione, who was reminded strongly of Malfoy when he was trying to bait her. "I'd say the hardest part is having to hide it. Knowing how much people, especially Ron and Harry would disapprove if they knew."

"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they found out. I mean, they love you, I think they would support you." Ginny's look said clearly how little she believed the elder girl's theory. "Well, maybe not Harry, you know, considering."

"No, no they can't ever find out," Ginny pleaded, grabbing the older girl's hands.

"Don't worry, Gin. I won't say a word." Hermione smiled, and Ginny found herself smiling back, despite her mood.

* * *

The next day, Ginny decided to sleep in as late as possible. Even with waking up well past noon, she wasted a few more hours alone in her room, bathing in the ire and misery of Sophie's rejection. Running out of reasons to delay, she made her way down to the common room. Ginny was relieved to see the only other person there was Hermione. She was seated on the sofa, her wild hair pulled into a messy bun at the nape of her neck, flipping through Christmas catalogues. Hermione looked up and smiled she was always smiling at her as Ginny sat beside her. Once again, despite her morning's moping, Ginny smiled back. Ginny leaned over to look at the catalogue in the other girl's lap, noticing as she did how Hermione smelled like honey. _How had she never noticed this before?_

"Here and I thought you would be the type to have Christmas presents ordered by Halloween," Ginny said, smirking.

"I did," Hermione sniffed dramatically. "I was merely bored."

"Well, then would you mind if I took that from you? I really should order my gifts for everyone." Ginny reached over and removed the booklet from Hermione's lap, her fingers accidentally brushing over the brunette's thigh. Hermione froze at the contact, but said nothing and relaxed again as Ginny sat back against the cushions.

"Er, I saw some stuff in there I'm sure your brothers would like," Hermione said after several minutes. "Near the back I think, I know part of it was a trick potions section." Ginny took her suggestion and turned to the joke section of the catalogue.

"Oh, look at this! 'Markie Matson's Magic Shoe Glue, just spray on any old shoes and you can walk up walls like Markie!'" Hermione and Ginny both looked at the accompanying photograph which showed an extremely tall wizard in a pair of rubber duck-printed boots walking across a ceiling. "I think Fred and George would get a kick out of that one." Over an hour passed with the two girls talking, discussing what would make the best gifts for all the Weasleys. Once Ginny finally decided on a fireproof cloak for Charlie and new enchanted knitting needles for Mrs. Weasley, she stole Pigwidgeon from Ron's room and used him to send her order back to the shop.

After watching the owl fly out the window, Ginny turned to see Hermione watching her. Having been caught, Hermione's cheeks flushed and she turned quickly back toward the fire. Ginny sat back down, also avoiding eye contact. _Why was she watching me? _

"So, what'd you get me this year?" Ginny asked, keeping her tone carefully light.

"If I told you, it would ruin all of the fun!" Hermione said, hitting her lightly in the shoulder with a throw pillow. Ginny scowled at Hermione before grabbing some feathery defense of her own.

"Oh, this is war!" she yelled back. The girls giggled endlessly, and Ginny forgot all about Sophie Richards.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

* * *

Ginny sat on her bed, brushing her long hair the next day when she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Hermione walked in, smiling slightly and looking incredibly nervous. "Hey, what's up?" Ginny couldn't help noticing the way the older girl's hair fell across her face as she ducked her head shyly. She suddenly had the urge to get up and brush the stray curls behind Hermione's ear, but decided against it. The last thing she needed was to give into one of her countless impulses and have Hermione think she was coming onto her. Of course, isn't that exactly what she would be doing? How many times had she wished she could cross that physical boundary with Hermione over the past couple days? What was it that suddenly elicited these desires in her, anyway?

"I just wanted to talk to you," Hermione said, perching on the end of the bed across from Ginny's. Ginny had resumed brushing her hair.

"Sure, what about?" She glanced at the other girl in the mirror, but she couldn't help but remember the last time Hermione had something to talk to her about.

"Well, it's just, with what's been going on with you lately, with Sophie and Romilda and Harry and everything we've been talking about, I just, I've been thinking," Hermione said in one breath.

"Hermione, do you have a problem with me liking girls?" Ginny asked bluntly, her hairbrush forgotten. She had been worrying about this ever since Hermione had found out about her relationship with Sophie. She didn't know how she would handle it if the one person she'd confided in ended up disapproving of her recent lifestyle choices.

"Oh! Ginny! No, not at all!" Hermione rushed to say. "It's, well it's kind of exactly the opposite."

"Oh, well, you've already told me you support me, Mione. And I appreciate it, I really do. It's nice to have someone else know for a change." For once, Ginny was the first one to smile. Hermione's answering smile was timid and a bit shaky. Ginny had never seen Hermione so nervous before.

"Yes, I really do support you." She took a deep breath as if building up her courage. "And I've been thinking that I want to know what it's like."

"What it's like? Well I told you the other day what it's like for me…"

"No, I mean, I know you did. But I want to _experience_ what it's like," Hermione all but whispered.

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I think I fancy you," Hermione spilled, her cheeks redder than Ginny had ever seen them. She stared down at her twiddling thumbs. Ginny ignored the thrill these words sent through her and tried to _think_ about them. _There was no way she actually fancied her. Hermione Granger just wasn't the type. She had to have another reason_, Ginny surmised.

"You what? You think you fancy me? Hermione, Sophie and I just broke up _two days ago_! This is not the time to use me as an experiment because you're curious and feel the need to know everything about something you don't understand." Ginny had stood up, and with her hands on her hips she looked alarmingly like her mother. Hermione didn't respond for a long time, she just stood there, staring at anything but Ginny's glaring eyes.

"Use you? As an experiment?" was all Hermione managed to force out. Ginny could see her eyes tearing up.

"Yeah, you always have to know _everything_, but I don't want to be used just so you can satisfy that curiosity," Ginny replied. The more she looked at the older girl's face, however, the more her own resolve wavered. Hermione blinked and seemed to brace herself.

"How can you… Ginny that is not what I meant! It's just, after yesterday, I realized that I'm attracted to you; I mean I honestly fancy you. I feel comfortable with you in a way I've never felt with any of the boys, Viktor or Ron or Harry. And with everything we've been talking about, it all just sort of clicked. But it's nothing to do with me wanting to know everything; I just want to know _you_." Hermione looked relieved at getting these words out in the open, but Ginny though she could sense some apprehension mixed in as well.

_Did Hermione Granger just say she actually fancies me?_

Ginny's heart suddenly seemed to be beating again.

* * *

After an awkward few minutes of charged silence, Ginny had decided she honestly believed Hermione wasn't just trying to use her as a living textbook on sexuality.

"Oh, my!" Hermione laughed, glancing at the clock on Ginny's bedside table. Hours had passed as the girls had talked, giggled, and joked with each other. "It's time for dinner."

Ginny agreed and took Hermione's hand to pull her up off the bed. Hermione blushed at the contact, and Ginny couldn't help but smile a little at how nervous she could make the great war hero with a simple touch or a single word. She squeezed her hand tighter and Hermione gazed down at their intertwined fingers.

"We probably shouldn't hold hands out there though," Ginny said, nodding toward the door.

"I agree," Hermione said. "I think people would react worse to that than they would have with you and Sophie." Ginny didn't miss the slightly bitter way Hermione said her ex's name.

The two girls let go of each other and walked down to the Great Hall, talking the whole way. They'd known each other for years, but the sudden twist in their association made every word more fascinating. Arriving at the single table in the middle of the room, the two girls sat down across from Ron.

"My, you two seem happy," he observed during the split second his face was detached from Lavender's. Ginny and Hermione just smiled at one another, having no chance to respond as he returned to his mid-meal snog session. Ginny wondered why the professors at the other end of the table did not say anything to the intertwined couple. _Christmas cheer makes them lenient, I reckon. _Harry had not shown up to dinner at all. The only other missing person was Malfoy. _No complaints there._

The two girls hurried through their meals, returning to the Gryffindor common room to continue their girlish chattering.

"Hey guys, er, girls," Neville Longbottom said with a small wave as he passed through the common room, assumedly having finished his own dinner. Hermione and Ginny burst into giggles as soon as he was up the staircase. Ginny could just imagine the look on sweet, awkward Neville's face if he knew the thoughts about a certain bookworm that were shooting through her brain at that moment.

_I should _not _be giggling this much, it's only been two days. _She looked over at Hermione who was prodding the fire. _No, _she told herself firmly_, I shouldn't have to mope around because of Sophie. I can very well giggle as much as I'd like._

It wasn't until the wee hours of the morning that Hermione and Ginny decided to retire to their separate dormitories. They stood at the top of the girls' staircase, holding hands again.

"It was fun tonight," Ginny murmured. "This is really what I needed." Before Hermione could respond, the redhead leaned forward and kissed her. Their lips met for only a second, and Hermione seemed too shocked to respond, but Ginny thought it was the perfect end to the evening. "Goodnight, Hermione."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

* * *

After breakfast the next day, Hermione and Ginny returned to Hermione's dormitory. Ginny sat on Parvati's vacated bed and looked around.

"I would have expected no less," she said, gesturing toward the stacks of books Hermione had shoved under her bed. Hermione grinned at her from where she stood, holding Crookshanks.

"You know me _so _well."

"So, I was thinking about us," Ginny said. Hermione set Crookshanks down, earning her an angry hiss, and sat at the end of her own bed. The beds were close enough together that Ginny was able to reach across and take Hermione's hand. "I don't want to rush into dating or anything, since this is such a new thing. But, I do want to be with you."

"You have a problem with commitment, Gin."

"I don't! I'm just cautious," Ginny said, standing up. Hermione stood as well, sighing. She trusted Hermione, but she had trusted Harry and Sophie once, too. The past twenty-four hours had been unreal for her, and she kept worrying Hermione was going to snap out of it and realize she didn't fancy girls after all.

"It's okay, I get it. And I agree. I was just pointing it out." She took Ginny's hands in her own again. When Ginny continued scowling at her, Hermione laughed, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. Ginny struggled to hold back the smile threatening to take over her own expression.

"I fail to see what's so funny," she said, pouting in a way that was intentionally sexy. Hermione, distracted by the look Ginny was giving her, could think of nothing to say to this.

Ginny's brown eyes met Hermione's golden ones, and she took a deep breath of that honey scent she was gradually becoming familiar with. Hermione licked her lips nervously, leaving them wet and shiny and oh-so-tempting. In that moment, she felt frozen, as if staring at the brunette's slightly trembling lips was the only thing she could find the strength to do. Hearing Hermione take a shaky breath, she carefully took a step forward until they were hardly a hair's breadth apart. Slowly, Ginny leaned in and kissed her, sighing against her lips as Hermione's hands trailed up her arms, making her skin tingle. Ginny put her own arms around Hermione's waist and pulled her in to close the remaining space between them.

Ginny had always thought that Hermione had snogged Viktor Krum, but she seemed so unsure and shy about a simple kiss that she was beginning to doubt this. After a few moments, Hermione had gotten into the rhythm of kissing back. Not wanting to rush Hermione at all, the redhead kept the kisses soft and _mostly_ chaste, despite how much she wanted to push Hermione down on the bed and rip off her… _It's best not to think about that._

* * *

Days went past and despite Ginny's attempts to keep things slow and simple, Hermione seemed all too eager to continually take their physical relationship to higher levels. The older girl took no time at all to get the hang of things, and Ginny was constantly being surprised by just how physically inclined the other girl was turning out to be. The following Wednesday found the two of them in a deserted corridor hidden by tapestries at both ends. At first they had just been talking, but within minutes, Ginny was stopped mid-sentence by Hermione's lips on hers.

Hermione took hold of Ginny's wrists and pinned her against the cold stone wall, holding her arms above her head. Ginny moaned at Hermione's newfound dominance, she herself was typically the more aggressive one in relationships, but she had discovered it really turned her on to allow the other person to be in control. As Hermione's lips traveled slowly over Ginny's cheeks, Ginny had to remind herself they could still be heard if she didn't keep it down. Hermione slowly moved her kisses across Ginny's neck until she was lightly sucking on a spot just below her ear. If it hadn't been for the brunette holding her against the wall, Ginny was sure she would not still be upright. She bit down hard on her lower lip to keep from crying out as Hermione did things with her mouth Ginny never imagined she'd know how to do.

Once Ginny had been keeping agonizingly silent for several long, tantalizing minutes, she finally pulled her hands from the other girl's grip and pulled Hermione's lips against her own once more. Ginny sucked slightly on Hermione's lower lip, and the older girl responded by nipping her back. This time, Ginny couldn't stop herself making noise as the delicious pain of Hermione's teeth made her head spin. She was so caught up, in fact, that she didn't hear the footsteps at first. Hermione did, however.

Hermione pulled back quickly and looked down the corridor, Ginny followed her gaze. There, about halfway to them, was Neville Longbottom. He looked as though he had been about to turn away and slip back out of the corridor, but froze upon their noticing him. He mumbled something, and Hermione motioned to Ginny to stay there before walking over to Neville.

"Hey, Neville," Ginny heard Hermione say. "Listen, I'm sorry you had to walk in on that, we really should be more careful." He looked incredibly apprehensive and his eyes kept flicking between Hermione and Ginny. "But see the thing is, we really want to keep our personal lives private, so it would be really great if you could just not mention this to anyone. I'm sure you understand."

"I um….er I mean…no, no of course I won't, I won't say anything," he said awkwardly. Something told Ginny that Neville had not witnessed many people snogging, let alone two girls.

"Thanks a ton, Neville," said Ginny, walking over to them. "We'll just be going now." She took Hermione's arm and the two of them walked out of the hidden corridor the same way Neville had come in.

* * *

Finally, it was Christmas. It had only been a week since Ginny first kissed Hermione, but she felt like it had been months. It didn't take long for Ginny and Hermione to become inseparable. The only time they didn't spend together was when they went to sleep at night. Ginny longed to take that next step, to spend the whole night together feeling Hermione's bare skin against her own, but she still felt that it would be too soon. Sure, she had slept with Sophie the first day they got together, but Hermione was different. Hermione had never done this before, and Ginny didn't want to ruin things. A week was no time at all.

Since it was Christmas morning, Ginny woke up early, excited to see what Hermione had gotten her. She was shocked, then, when she sat up and saw a long, huge package at the foot of her bed with all the others. Saving the mysterious largest gift until last, she opened the others. She received a charmed hairbrush from Percy _("I've noticed, Ginevra, that you have let your hair get rather uncontrollably long, and I do not see how you can keep it tamed, so I've sent you this to help.")_ that was supposed to make her hair tangle-free for twenty-four hours with one use. She also received a new Weasley sweater (mustard yellow, as always) along with several pies and cakes from her parents, broom handle polish from Ron, a large box of Weasley Wizard Wheezes products (all pink and girly, but no love potions, she noticed) from Fred and George, an elegant gold and opal Egyptian bracelet from Bill, and a very lovely dragon skin handbag from Charlie. She also had a few gifts from her fellow sixth-years, including a box of sweets from Sophie. She was debating whether to throw them away when she opened the last smaller gift and forgot all about Sophie. Hermione had given her a book called _Female Quidditch Players Through History_, but it wasn't the gift that interested her. A note fell out of the book that read,

_Ginny,_

_As I told you before, I ordered your Christmas present ages ago. Since so much has changed since then, and taking into account something you said a week ago, I ordered the larger package with the red bow (well I'm sure you see it now actually) as well. I hope you like it._

_Love,_

_Hermione._

Hermione remembered everything.

"_I hate being a witch!" Ginny had yelled, bursting into Hermione's dormitory like a small red tornado. Hermione glanced up from the book she was reading, looking amused._

"_Pardon?"_

"_Why do we have to wear these ridiculous robes anyway? So many layers, so much work just to get dressed in the morning!" she had said. That morning while putting on her robes, she had accidentally stepped on the bottom of them as she pulled them on, causing herself to trip and fall, hitting her shoulder and ribs painfully on her bedpost. It wasn't the first time a similar incident had happened, either. "I wish I could just be a muggle so clothes wouldn't be such a hassle!"_

Now, if only Ginny had had the money to buy Hermione something better. Feeling somewhat guilty, Ginny pulled on the jeans and mustard sweater before venturing down into the common room to wait on Hermione. She would have just gone straight to the other girl's dormitory, if not for Lavender being in there as well. Lavender was already looking at them suspiciously enough during those rare moments her face wasn't suctioned onto Ron's, Ginny didn't want to aid any rumors.

She didn't have to wait long before Hermione came down. Before she had the chance to say anything, Hermione took Ginny's had and led her back up to her own dormitory, which was vacant since all the other sixth year girls had gone home for the holiday. Closing the door quickly, Hermione pushed Ginny down on her bed and kissed her.

"Thanks for the reading light, Gin," Hermione said breathlessly several minutes later.

"No problem," Ginny said. "I only wish I could have gotten you more. Thanks for the book, and the jeans, it was really too good of you to-" Hermione had cut her off by biting down, harder than usual, on her neck.

"The jeans look amazing on you, by the way," she murmured, and Ginny suddenly wondered how Hermione made her speechless so easily. Usually, it was Ginny that kissed other people into silence. "And I know something else you can give me for Christmas if you really want." Ginny had never heard Hermione's voice sound so sexy, and rather thought she would give Hermione anything in the world if she just kept whispering in her ear that way.

"What's that?" Ginny managed to say after a minute.

"You."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

* * *

"Why do you have to act like I'm so breakable?" Hermione grumbled as she rolled out of Ginny's bed several days after Christmas. "If Voldemort couldn't hurt me, neither will you."

"I know you're not breakable," Ginny said with a sigh, standing up with her. "I just don't want to ruin things by rushing you."

"You're not rushing me! _I'm_ trying to rush _you_!"

Ever since Hermione's tantalizing Christmas gift proposition, it seemed the older girl had her mind set on one thing. As inviting as this was, as much as Ginny's hormones protested against her brain, she had maintained her stance. _What if we do have sex and it wrecks everything?_ She thought. _I can't put her through that, not the way I put Har—No. This has nothing to do with him._

Hermione seemed to notice Ginny's inner struggles and dropped the subject. For now. She walked over and gave Ginny a light kiss before heading back to her own dormitory. Every night since Christmas, Hermione had reluctantly left Ginny's room around midnight. Hermione knew Lavender would become suspicious if she suddenly didn't come back to bed, but Ginny had another reason for sending her off. She hadn't told Hermione this (because she was bound to use it against her), but she knew if she let Hermione stay, her own resolve against sex would weaken. Having the warm, honey-scented, stunning Head Girl in her bed all night was such an alluring idea, however, that Ginny was finding it harder every night to deny her.

After a couple more days, she knew she was losing the fight.

Ginny and Hermione made their usual appearance in the common room with the few Gryffindors there were at present, and then made their way up to Ginny's vacated dormitory. As soon as the door shut behind them, Hermione reached out to wrap her arms around Ginny, who easily welcomed the embrace. They'd been in this sort of half relationship for about two weeks now, and Ginny was still surprised by it all. Here was Hermione Granger—_the_ Hermione Granger—hugging her like there was nothing else in the world she would rather be doing. Ginny had always fancied her, even if she had pretended otherwise, lying to herself, for years.

"I want to stay tonight," Hermione murmured against bright red hair. "_All_ night."

Ginny knew what she meant, and was instantly more nervous than she ever had been with Hermione. The other girl's tone was different than it had been every other time this had come up. Usually, she was enticing and teasing. Tonight though… _Tonight I can't say no._ After taking a few steadying breaths, Ginny tilted her head so she could look at the other girl properly before speaking.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice barely audible. Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't seem to find the right words so she settled for a nod. Ginny smiled at her, but before she could say any more about it, she found herself pressed against the back of the door. Soft hands slid down her arms before taking hold of her wrists and then lifting her arms to pin them above her head. Ginny moaned at Hermione's sudden dominance, hoping things like this would happen more often from now on. In an instant, Hermione's lips were all over, brushing kisses across her face, her jaw, down her neck. Hermione slid her cool hands under the hem of Ginny's shirt and pulled it off of her. In another few seconds, her bra joined her shirt on the floor. Ginny watched as Hermione's eyes raked over her, smiling when the older girl bit her lower lip nervously. She looked back up into Ginny's eyes, looking as nervous as Ginny felt.

"Gin, I… I've never… I don't think I…"

"Stop thinking so much," Ginny said with a kiss. "What do you _feel_?"

"You."

* * *

Dawn found the two girls laying, half asleep, on Ginny's bed. Sweaty and out of breath, neither felt the need to fill the silence with words. It wasn't until Hermione glanced out the window and noticed the sparkling sun rising over the lake that either of them spoke.

"Oh! Happy New Year!" she said, rolling over to smile broadly at Ginny.

"I realized it at midnight, you know," Ginny said, reaching up to brush a damp strand of hair from Hermione's face. "But I believe my mouth was preoccupied at the time." Rolling her eyes at Ginny's smirk, Hermione hit the younger girl playfully.

"You weren't complaining at the time."

"No, and I don't think I'd complain now, either," Ginny replied and, with a mischievous glint in her eye, disappeared under the sheets.

* * *

Hermione and Ginny were sat in the common room with Ron and Lavender doing homework in preparation for classes starting in a matter of days. Well, Hermione and Ginny were doing homework. Ron and Lavender's chosen activities were a bit less academic. The two girls kept shooting one another looks, both wishing that they could be as public about their relationship as Ron and Lavender were about theirs. Okay, maybe not _that_ public. In the past week, Ginny had found it increasingly difficult to hide her affections for the Head Girl. Despite what her past experiences had taught her about commitment, Ginny had decided that tonight she was going to make it official.

Regardless of Hermione's previous concerns, Lavender hadn't said a word about Hermione's recent absence from their dormitory. She'd spent every night since New Year's up in Ginny's room and Lavender didn't seem to have noticed a thing. Ginny was beginning to suspect this was because Lavender hadn't been in the seventh year's dorm either.

Hermione was just putting away her potions textbook and pulling out _Hogwarts, A History _for reference on her History of Magic essay when Harry came bursting through the portrait hole. He strode over to where they were all sat in front of the fire.

"Ginny, Hermione, could I talk to you two upstairs?" he asked, talking through gritted teeth. The two glanced at one other anxiously.

"Sure, Harry," Hermione said, attempting a smile in his direction. Without another word, he began walking up the staircase to the boys' dormitory. Ginny and Hermione followed cautiously.

In his dormitory, Harry was pacing like an agitated Crookshanks when the girls came through the door. They stood and watched him warily in silence for several minutes before Ginny spoke.

"What is this about, Harry?" Her voice was harsh and demanding.

Hermione noticed him give a start at the sound of his ex-girlfriend saying his name for the first time in months. He stopped pacing and looked them over, almost appraisingly.

"Neville told me," he practically yelled, causing Hermione to take a hasty step back. Ginny, however, stood her ground.

"Told you what?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"You know what."

"We do know what, Mione," Ginny muttered to her over her shoulder.

"Okay, we should have told you, I know. But we really haven't told anyone, Neville only knows because he walked in the other day, and-"

"No," Ginny interrupted. "_I_ should have told you, Harry."

Then the yelling really started.

In her incredibly angered state, Ginny kept correcting every apologetic thing Hermione tried to say. Feeling like this wasn't her battle, she decided to step back against the wall and keep her mouth shut.

She stood there for nearly an hour, listening to them fight. They weren't even talking about Ginny and Hermione being lovers anymore, and Hermione was feeling like she shouldn't be there. Hermione had taken a seat on the nearest bed –Dean's, she believed –and was slowly getting more and more angered herself.

Ginny had thoroughly convinced Hermione that she had gotten over Harry before she'd even been with Sophie. But the way their eyes flashed as they yelled… The way they kept ending up mere centimeters from one another, breathing heavily in silence for a moment before leaping back from one another as if on fire…. Hermione wasn't so sure how over him Ginny really was.

Hermione was jolted from her considerations when a loud slap echoed through the room. She glanced up in time to see Ginny reaching to hit Harry again, but he was prepared this time and grabbed her wrist. She had stopped noticing what they were saying, but she did notice the way it took Ginny a full minute to pull her arm from his grasp.

Silently, and without the notice of the yelling pair, Hermione slipped out the door. She was stopped as she passed through the common room by Neville.

"Hermione, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to tell him," Neville said, sounding nervous. "He was just talking to us about Ginny a bit and it just somehow slipped out…"

"It's really fine Neville," she said distractedly. "He would have needed to find out eventually anyway." Neville looked relieved, but Hermione was too worried about Ginny and Harry to notice much. She ignored the way the whole common room was staring at her, wondering what was going on, and slowly walked back up to her own room.

Hermione slept alone that night.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

* * *

Before she even opened her eyes, Ginny reached out across her bed as usual, feeling for the warm body she had become accustomed to. As her hand closed on nothing but air, she shot out of bed, remembering last night. Hurrying into her clothes, Ginny madly wished she had gone to talk to Hermione after last night's fiasco. She really should have, but she had been beyond exhausted. Fighting with Harry had been bad enough, but shortly after Hermione had left, Ron had come upstairs. Seeing his face when Harry told him exactly what they had been fighting about had been far worse than anything Harry could have said.

The night before had been more confusing and infuriating than any other night of Ginny's life. Talking to (or screaming at) Harry and Ron had forced Ginny into thinking about things she had been ignoring ever since Hermione admitted to fancying her.

Maybe she wasn't over Harry. Maybe she never would be. Maybe your first love just wasn't something you could get over.

Maybe it didn't matter anyway.

Sure, there had been a few moments in the heat of the argument last night that had made her look at Harry and see him the way she used to, before all the discomfort and the bitterness had taken over her every memory of him. Although her mind had tried to force her into having second thoughts, none came. Nothing had made her doubt what she had with Hermione.

It was Ron's entrance into the row that had made everything difficult. Ginny loved her brother, of course she did. She would have done anything for him. Anything, that is, except give up Hermione. Ginny had known, known it for years, that Ron was in love with Hermione. But he'd never made his move, never said a word to Hermione about it. The only thing he _had_ done, actually, was push her away by spending every waking hour with that insufferable Lavender Brown. _He has no reason to be so cross with me. He had his chance…and maybe he's not the only one who fell in love._

_Did I just think that?_

Ginny ran out the door and up to Hermione's room.

Contrary to Ginny's previous presumptions, Lavender was clearly in the seventh years' dormitory. _Maybe Ron just couldn't come back to her after last night,_ Ginny thought. _Just like you didn't come back to Hermione._

Not caring about waking up her brother's possibly-soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend, Ginny ran across the room to where Hermione lay sleeping. She looked at her face, so relaxed and smooth in her slumber, and suddenly didn't want to wake her up. She had the feeling the conversation that would ensue wouldn't be all that pleasant. She was desperate to clarify everything with her, but surely a while longer wouldn't hurt. The sun hadn't even risen yet, so Ginny decided to let her sleep, they could talk in a few hours. She sat down on the next bed over, knowing she herself wouldn't be able to sleep until she had the chance to say everything.

Less time had passed than Ginny had anticipated when Hermione first began to stir. It was hardly dawn when the brunette slowly stretched and opened her eyes just to narrow them again upon seeing Ginny. She didn't say anything as she got up and began rummaging in her trunk for clothes, pulling out books and homework to start on as well.

Ginny sat watching her, mentally willing her to say something, anything. No such words came. Turning her back resolutely on the redhead, Hermione pulled off her pajama shirt, leaving Ginny to stifle a gasp as she took in her bare back flooded in sparkling morning sun. Hermione continued to ignore her and pulled off her shorts as well. Since her outfit for the day was laid out on the bed right next to her, there was no reason for Hermione to take so long and bend over _so_ much just to get dressed.

"You're doing that on purpose," Ginny finally said as Hermione slowly finished getting her clothes on. She still didn't turn around.

"I do get dressed on purpose, well spotted."

Ginny sighed.

"I'm sorry about last night. I should have come and talked to you after, but Harry didn't stop arguing with me until after midnight and I assumed you'd be asleep so I just went to bed. But I'm here now." Hermione finally turned around, arms crossed, and sat back down on her bed. Ginny took a seat next to her, but decided not to try to touch her. "Harry was really upset by everything, and to make things worse, Ron came in after you left and Harry told him everything," she said. Hermione's jaw dropped. "Once he found out about you and me, he was as angry as Harry."

"What? Why? I know he can be a bit thick but he's not _that_ closed-minded," said Hermione, sounding completely flustered and loudly enough to wake Lavender. The other girl shot straight out of bed and glanced over at them, looking panic-stricken.

"Do you know where Ron is?" she asked as she dressed, buttoning up her blouse completely incorrectly. "He didn't come meet me last night…" Hermione and Ginny both said they thought he was probably still asleep, and Lavender left without pausing to wonder why Ginny was there in the first place. Once she was safely out of the room, Ginny spoke again.

"It wasn't my sexuality that bothered him," she said heavily. "He was angry at me for stealing you from him because of how he feels about you."

Hermione stared down at her still bare feet.

"Yes, I thought that issue would come up eventually," she said finally.

"Y-you knew? We all thought you loved him back but didn't think he felt the same way!" Ginny said. _How could she have fancied me, knowing full well how Ron felt first?_

"I just didn't see it happening with him," Hermione said quietly, as if she had read Ginny's mind. "I did, I _do_ love him, but it just…oh this sounds simply horrible of me to say, but it just felt like it wasn't meant to happen. Every time we'd get close to finally getting somewhere, something else would happen that would ruin it. He was often so blind about it all, it took him eons to even realize how I already knew he felt about me. There were moments when we nearly told each other everything, but it just never happened."

Ginny found she didn't much like hearing any of this. She figured she must have looked more upset than she thought, because a moment later Hermione seemed to read her mind again.

"We all have pasts, Gin. How do you think I felt last night? How do you think I'm going to feel when break ends and Sophie comes back? It's just part of who we are."

"I really am, you know, sorry about last night. It was just so overwhelming, after not talking to him for so long. I didn't…I mean, I never considered going back to him. He, er, well he kind of offered though. To try to fix things between us. I said no…" Ginny said, almost timidly, her voice getting quieter and quieter as she spoke until she wasn't speaking at all.

The silence following this was heavier than the smoke in Trelawney's classroom. Ginny felt like it was filling her lungs, making it difficult to breathe. She longed to say something, to release the smoke from her chest as words that would make everything better. She couldn't think of anything that felt right. So the silence stretched on.

Ginny didn't know how long they sat there, unspeaking and unmoving. After what could have been days but was probably more like minutes, Hermione finally looked up at her. Her eyes were a clear, warm amber as always, and she didn't look dismayed anymore. Ginny opened her mouth to speak before she even knew the words to say. She never needed to come up with those words though, because a second later Hermione had kissed her.

Although she felt like this issue needed to be discussed further, Ginny allowed herself to be pushed onto her back. She slid her arms around Hermione's soft waist as the brunette slid her tongue across Ginny's lower lip. Ginny drew Hermione's tongue into her mouth, nipping it lightly as she did. Hermione moaned and pressed her hips firmly into Ginny's, her arms trembling slightly as she held herself above the younger girl. Wanting as much contact as possible, Ginny pulled Hermione down until their bodies were completely pressed together and began slowly slipping her hands under Hermione's shirt. She traced patterns over the soft, heated skin of Hermione's lower back. Hermione pressed her lips just below Ginny's ear and began unbuttoning her shirt. Ginny had just finished riding Hermione of her own when the older girl bit down on her shoulder, eliciting a lurid moan from Ginny. In a flash of speed, Hermione relieved Ginny of her bra, tossing it to the floor. She covered the redhead's throat in kisses before slowly licking and sucking her way over her chest. Ginny dug her nails into Hermione's hips as Hermione deftly unbuttoned her trousers. She kicked them off while she removed Hermione's bra, the other girl's lips and tongue still doing blissful, devilish things to her breasts.

Ginny had forgotten their entire conversation from before and wanted nothing more than to lose herself in Hermione's touch. All of the trouble with Harry, worrying Ron was going to tell their parents about her, everything disappeared as Hermione's fingertips slid under the elastic of her knickers. Death Eaters could have been burning down the castle around them and she wouldn't have noticed.

Ginny pulled Hermione's face back up to her own, tangling her fingers in her curls. She looked her straight in the eye, though they were hardly a centimeter apart.

"I knew you wouldn't leave."


End file.
